Top 7 Fitness Myths... And Why You Shouldn't Believe Them!
We hear a lot of things when it comes to fitness and the gym. They all sound reasonable, but what is really true and what isn't? Here are some fitness myths that you might've heard and why they're false!
1. Exercising on an empty stomach is better
Exercising when your stomach is empty may seem like a better option, however there are many reasons as to why it really isn't. Firstly, as you're exercising on an empty stomach, your body has no energy to work to its fullest. As it isn't working to its fullest, you're not exerting as much energy to actually be burning as much calories compared to working out with food in your stomach. As well as this, your body can actually take the protein from your muscles to fuel your workout!
2. Cardio is the only way to lose weight
Cardio is a good way to exercise and build cardiovascular endurance and lose weight. However, there are many ways to get your body moving to lose weight. Weights are great for weight loss, as muscle burns more calories than fat, and if you build more muscle - you lose more fat! There are also different ways of exercising and what everyone likes, check out our other blog post on fun ways to exercise!
3. Doing weights will make me look huge and bulky
It takes a lot of hard work and calories to actually get to a "bulky" level of muscular. Lifting weights would actually do well to tone your body, making you look more fit and toned.
4. You have to workout for an hour each time
If you have the time to workout for an hour - then do it. However, it's not necessary! Research shows that even short bursts of exercise will actually benefit you a lot more than if you didn't do any at all. You should do at least 10 minutes of exercise at a time.
5. I can exercise all the time and eat whatever I want
It is true that exercising can help with staying fit. However, if your diet is poor, exercise won't do anything to help with that. While you need to meet your calories and exercise can help with burning off calories, if your diet is filled with junk and sugar, you wouldn't be necessarily "healthy" on the inside. Even if you are eating just healthy food, if you eat too much of it, you're still going to gain weight!
6. You should exercise every day
There is such as thing as too much exercise. Rest is just as important as exercise for your body. For strength training, your muscles need about 48 hours before it can work the same areas again. Overtraining can also put you at risk of injuring yourself, which would take you away from the gym for weeks which would put you at more of a disadvantage than taking a break for a day.
7. The best time to workout is in the morning
Truthfully, the best time to workout is when you can be consistent in working out. Some people prefer to workout in the morning, some might prefer to workout late at night. Both are great, as long as you are consistently doing it! Check out our blog post on When You Should Workout.
So get your workout on, and don't believe the myths! Don't forget to recover with your Muscle Protein supplements.
